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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
4.5
First book of the year and the tears were falling HARD
First book of the year and the tears were falling HARD
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
THE PLOT TWIST MESSED ME UP. I AM. UNWELL. i am going to start kinning eric now.
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To be honest, I was surprised that I did not enjoy this book. Perhaps I had too high hopes for this one.
I got this as a present from my brother, and I was excited because I really wanted to read this book ever since it was published. Although I have gotten it in my native language, German, and not in English.
I found it challenging to finish this book; I had to put it down for a few months before starting it up again from where I left of. The pace and the way it's written had made it so hard for me.
In the very beginning, I found I could relate to Eric (the MC), but the more I read, the more I started to dislike Eric and his ever repeating 'mistakes'. He literally figured out Haru wasn't actually there, not even in the middle of the book, and kept talking to him?? I understood he wasn't mentally healthy, but, seriously, sleeping with a man who said he doesn't date Asians, who gave Eric's number to a friend, who also wanted to spend a night with Eric? I didn't understand Eric's thought process behind that.
I couldn't relate to any side characters either because the variety of them felt off and didn't bring anything I to the story, besides asking Eric if he's alright, like half of the story. There wasn't an actual character who tried to view it from Eric's perspective; Daniel, Eric's 'best friend', was an absolute ass as well, because what do you mean you kissed Eric on the roof of the house out of 'fun' and there wasn't an actual intention behind it, and then bringing him to a party, leaving him alone, and making out with a guy you never introduced to your best friend???
Kevin, the boyfriend (or ex-boyfriend?) of Eric's sister, was probably the only character in this story, actually trying to be there for Eric, but Eric kept pushing him away, rejection the help he desperately needed to get. He tried to be a brother to Eric, getting only roughness back from Eric, however.
Eric's coworkers at his ticket-selling job are also not it, not at all. They kind of were just there. They didn't contribute anything to the story as well, only getting Eric into 'trouble' and asking him about his love life.
Eric never opened up to someone fully, which is somewhat understandable because even his parents aren't that supportive of him to begin with. Yet still. It felt like reading about someone complaining about his life without ever trying to change anything, and, bluntly put, that sucks to read.
Kevin and the actual Haru we get in the beginning and end were like the only characters I enjoyed and found intriguing and somewhat helpful (not only to Eric but to the whole story). Perhaps it's just that the German version was terribly translated, but I'm happy that I still finished it, even if I didn't enjoy it and felt like torture to read.
At least the cover is pretty, and I got the edition with the cute colouring on the side of the pages (I forgot what it's called). Please forgive me when there are grammar issues or wrong wordings, my native language is not English.
I got this as a present from my brother, and I was excited because I really wanted to read this book ever since it was published. Although I have gotten it in my native language, German, and not in English.
I found it challenging to finish this book; I had to put it down for a few months before starting it up again from where I left of. The pace and the way it's written had made it so hard for me.
In the very beginning, I found I could relate to Eric (the MC), but the more I read, the more I started to dislike Eric and his ever repeating 'mistakes'. He literally figured out Haru wasn't actually there, not even in the middle of the book, and kept talking to him?? I understood he wasn't mentally healthy, but, seriously, sleeping with a man who said he doesn't date Asians, who gave Eric's number to a friend, who also wanted to spend a night with Eric? I didn't understand Eric's thought process behind that.
I couldn't relate to any side characters either because the variety of them felt off and didn't bring anything I to the story, besides asking Eric if he's alright, like half of the story. There wasn't an actual character who tried to view it from Eric's perspective; Daniel, Eric's 'best friend', was an absolute ass as well, because what do you mean you kissed Eric on the roof of the house out of 'fun' and there wasn't an actual intention behind it, and then bringing him to a party, leaving him alone, and making out with a guy you never introduced to your best friend???
Kevin, the boyfriend (or ex-boyfriend?) of Eric's sister, was probably the only character in this story, actually trying to be there for Eric, but Eric kept pushing him away, rejection the help he desperately needed to get. He tried to be a brother to Eric, getting only roughness back from Eric, however.
Eric's coworkers at his ticket-selling job are also not it, not at all. They kind of were just there. They didn't contribute anything to the story as well, only getting Eric into 'trouble' and asking him about his love life.
Eric never opened up to someone fully, which is somewhat understandable because even his parents aren't that supportive of him to begin with. Yet still. It felt like reading about someone complaining about his life without ever trying to change anything, and, bluntly put, that sucks to read.
Kevin and the actual Haru we get in the beginning and end were like the only characters I enjoyed and found intriguing and somewhat helpful (not only to Eric but to the whole story). Perhaps it's just that the German version was terribly translated, but I'm happy that I still finished it, even if I didn't enjoy it and felt like torture to read.
At least the cover is pretty, and I got the edition with the cute colouring on the side of the pages (I forgot what it's called). Please forgive me when there are grammar issues or wrong wordings, my native language is not English.
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Alcohol
Minor: Car accident
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am unashamed to admit that the sole reason I picked this up is because I thought the cover was super cute. Unfortunately, the book itself was a bit disappointing. I wasn't able to really engage with anything until the very end. It always felt like I was watching things unfold through a window, rather than being immersed in the narrative. I do agree with other reviewers: the last 30-odd pages are far and away the best part of the book. But, it was frustrating that it took so damn long to get to that point. Overall, an okay but ultimately unsatisfying read.